The Reckless call for Jihad in 2024
This country is made up of some people who will ruffle the peace and when troubles land, they will hide behind the scene blaming politicians and leaders of this country.
The NDC had always been taunting the NPP for sidelining Northerners/Muslims from the presidential ticket of the party, even though with majority support from Northerners and Muslims, the NDC never put up a Muslim flag bearer.
And now that the NPP had proven to all Ghanaians that it is a party that embraces all and put up a Northerner/Muslim on its 2024 presidential ticket, this same NDC is launching attacks on Dr. Bawumia, as if to say the NPP is offering him as a sacrificial lamb for the atonement of sins.
Readers, this is not the issue now. The NPP is capable of defending Bawumia, if indeed the party wishes to.
The problem is what appeared on social media, recently and was attributed to Abdul Aziz Haruna Futah, the NPP National Nasara Co-ordinator. It read, “This country is not for Christians alone. We have given them enough opportunity to govern. It is time for we Muslims to take over. We Muslims must see the 2024 as Jihad. We cannot fail our Muslim brother, Alhaji Bawumia this time.”
I was shocked and immediately contacted the National Chairman, Mr Steve Ntim, who said similar statement was attributed to Dalam Mustapha, the National Youth Organizer of the NPP, who denied ownership of the publication and had, accordingly issued a disclaimer. He promised to notify Abdul Futah on this one.
Where could this be coming from? The words were so provocative that they could spark inter-religious conflict in this country. And, such a message will not help Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, in the sense that he would be viewed as a man of violence, even though it is not true.
In the first place, whoever sent this message, could possibly be inciting some Muslims to get ready for a showdown against Christians in December, 2024.
The fact that this country had been having Christian leaders, in both civilian and military rule, does not indicate that Christians are having undue advantage over Muslims. The country being predominantly Christian, over 71%, could be the reason.
Majority of Muslims in the two major political parties always voted for Christians in presidential primaries, until November 2023, when the Muslims in the NPP voted massively for Alhaji Bawumia. Even with this the Vice President would not have won the flag bearer slot, if most Christians among the NPP delegates had voted for a Christian.
During the NPP Primaries in 2007, the then Vice President, H.E. Alhaji Alui Mahama, a Dagomba, secured a total of 146 votes, whereas the then three Northern regions had a representation of at least 499 delegates. Assuming that if all of Alui Mahama’s votes had come from the North, it means at least 344 delegates, representing over 60% preferred to vote for a Christian. It gets murkier, if it is established that some of his votes came from down South.
It is even worse in the NDC. During its presidential primaries in 2006, a Muslim from Wa, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu stood against three Christians, John Evans Atta mills, Spio Garbrah and Eddie Annan, but he secured 137 votes, much less than number of delegates from the then three Northern regions.
So, to those trying to create unrest and put fear into Christians during the 2024 elections, should know that this will not work. What can only work for them, is that they should portray Muslim candidates as the better choices to convince Christians to look their way. Any acts of violence, will not help any course.
Inter-religious harmony has made Ghana a beacon of peace and religious tolerance in Africa. Just as in Gambia, where in this Muslim dominated country, there exists peace as both Christians and Muslims give each other the due respect. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Nigeria, and this is what some people want in Ghana.
We should not allow some miscreants to bring confusion and bloodshed into this country. That notification is nothing, but a declaration of war. It is about time the National Communication Authority (NCA) uses all its powers to monitor the media landscape and bring to book and justice, any person or group of persons who would hide behind the electronic media to propound falsehood, especially things that could spark conflicts and unrest in this country.
The rate at which social media is being abused, if care is not taken, it can create problems in this country.
I have no suggestions as to where I think this publication could have come from, all that I believe is that, it came from some mischievous person or group of persons who should be hunted down and dealt with appropriately.
I only pray that Abdul Aziz Haruna Futah and the Muslim community will distance themselves from this publication and condemn it unreservedly.
Hon. Daniel Dugan
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
